NestyFinds

Winix 5500-2 replacement filter set

By the NestyFinds editorial team · Researched from manufacturer documentation, manuals and the AHAM Verifide directory · Reviewed:

The part you need

116130 · Filter H

A two-piece replacement set sold by Winix as "Filter H": one non-washable filter Winix names the "True HEPA Filter" and one "Washable AOC™ (Advanced Odor Control) Carbon Filter." Those layer names are Winix's own product naming, reproduced here as Winix's words — the EPA, attributing the definition to the US Department of Energy, describes what a HEPA filter does but offers no seal a consumer brand can obtain, so a "True HEPA" label is always the manufacturer's own declaration rather than a third-party grade.

Winix says: 12 months for both layers.

Check current price for the Winix 5500-2 replacement filter set on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Price, seller and package contents change. Check the variant on Amazon before you buy.

Does it fit your unit?

Fits these models

  • Winix 5500-2
  • Winix AM80

Does NOT fit — commonly confused

  • Winix 5500 (the original, without the "-2") — Winix lists model 5500 under Filter A, part 115115, not Filter H. The model names differ by one suffix but the filters are not interchangeable.
  • Winix 5300-2 — Filter A, part 115115
  • Winix 5300 — Filter A, part 115115
  • Winix 6300 and 6300-2 — Filter A, part 115115
  • Winix P300 — Filter A, part 115115
  • Winix C535 — Filter A, part 115115
  • Winix AM90 — Filter A, part 115115 (AM80 takes Filter H; AM90 does not)
  • Winix C909 — Filter A, part 115115
  • Winix 9800 — Filter A, part 115115
  • Winix C545 — Filter S, part 1712-0096-00
  • Winix C555 — Filter I, part 116131
  • Winix 5510, 5520 and 5530 — Filter Q, part 1712-0123-00
  • Winix 9500 and U300 — Filter B, part 114190
  • Winix HR900, HR950, HR951 and HR1000 — Filter T, part 1712-0093-00
  • Winix A230, A231 and T500 — Filter O, part 1712-0110-00
  • Winix P150 and B151 — Filter C, part 113050
  • Winix P450 and B451 — Filter E, part 113250
  • Winix C610 — Filter Z, part 1712-0121-00

Units we have researched that take this filter: Winix 5500-2 .

What the manufacturer documents

What is in the set

A two-piece replacement set sold by Winix as "Filter H": one non-washable filter Winix names the "True HEPA Filter" and one "Washable AOC™ (Advanced Odor Control) Carbon Filter." Those layer names are Winix's own product naming, reproduced here as Winix's words — the EPA, attributing the definition to the US Department of Energy, describes what a HEPA filter does but offers no seal a consumer brand can obtain, so a "True HEPA" label is always the manufacturer's own declaration rather than a third-party grade. Winix calls the set "a complete one year filter set." The washable fine-mesh Pre-Filter is NOT part of this set — Winix documents it as permanent: "With proper care and use, the Washable Fine Mesh Pre-Filter is a permanent filter and does not need to be replaced" (FAQ). The 5500-2's fourth stage, PlasmaWave, is a device function, not a filter. CARB classifies the 5500-2 as type “Electronic”, its administrative category. California's rule reaches the unit — not this filter — whatever the type: a portable air cleaner must be CARB-certified before it may be sold in, or shipped into, California. In CARB's words, "All air cleaner models marketed or sold in California after October 18, 2010 had to be tested and certified as required by the regulation. This included air cleaners sold via the Internet", and since 1 October 2012 the packaging of a certified device must carry the printed label "Meets California ozone emissions limits. CARB certified." Both units are on CARB's list of certified air cleaning devices: the 5500-2 appears as Brand "Winix", Model Name "5300-2", Model Number "5500-2", Type "Electronic", Date Notified 2016-04-20, EO Number G-16-053 (the same Executive Order covers the 5300-2, 6300-2, C535 and C555 — that Model Name column names the family, not the individual unit), and the AM80 appears as Brand "Winix", Model Name "Air Purifier", Model Number "AM80", Type "Electronic", Date Notified 2020-09-01, EO Number G-20-177. THE CERTIFICATION IS ON THE UNIT, NOT ON THIS FILTER. CARB certifies air cleaning DEVICES, indexed by brand and model number, and neither "116130" nor "Filter H" appears anywhere in the list, because a replacement filter is not a device: there is no such thing as a CARB-certified filter, and swapping filters neither carries nor affects the unit's certification. Nor is a certification number a mark of quality — CARB says so itself: "CARB certification does not reflect air cleaner effectiveness or 'health safety'", and "CARB does not evaluate the effectiveness of air cleaners at removing pollutants and CARB certification does not imply that a specific air cleaner is 'safe to use'." CARB's "Electronic" category covers devices that "may be capable of generating ozone, but have been tested and found to produce an ozone emission concentration no greater than 0.050 parts per million (50 ppb)" — tested at or below a limit, which is not the same as zero, so neither the unit nor this filter is ozone-free. Separately, and from a different source, the current 5500-2 manual (Rev.05) carries Winix's own compliance statement: "This product complies with the maximum allowable concentration of ozone of 0.050 parts per million by volume (ppmv) in a 24-h period." The manual names neither CARB nor California anywhere, so that sentence is Winix's own declaration and not evidence of the CARB listing; the evidence for the listing is CARB's register entry and the label on the box. On the filtration figure, Winix states the True HEPA layer "Captures 99.99%* of airborne allergens including pollen, dust, smoke, pet dander, and other ultrafine particles as small as 0.003 microns," footnoted to "IUTA independent report (UN2-201208-T5599900-334) using (DIN 71460-1/ ISO/TS 11155-1) standards. Results may vary." Winix prints its own scope qualifier alongside the 4-stage diagram in the 5500-2 manual, and it belongs with that figure: "Air Purification means it removes inanimate particles." Winix publishes no claim about viruses, bacteria, mold, illness, asthma or infants for this filter, and none is made here. The AOC carbon layer "Reduces VOCs and household odors from cooking, pets, and smoke. It is designed to catch airborne particles found indoors, which also helps prolong the True HEPA Filter life." The manual's maintenance table states the True HEPA filter "Can NOT be WASHED"; install order is True HEPA at the back, Washable AOC Carbon in the middle, Pre-Filter at the front.

How often to change it

12 months for both layers. Winix's Filter H product page: "Genuine Winix one year replacement filter set. For optimal performance, it is recommended to change both the True HEPA Filter and Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter once every 12 months." Winix publishes NO hours-per-day assumption behind that figure. What it does document instead is an environment caveat and a separate service (not replacement) schedule from the 5500-2 manual's maintenance table: Pre-Filter — "Clean once every 14 days," "Permanent," no indicator light; Washable AOC Carbon Filter — "Clean once every 3 months"; True HEPA Filter — "Last Approx. 12 months," "Can NOT be WASHED." The current manual revision (Rev.05, 2025) also caps the washing: "The cleaning cycle of the Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter may vary depending on the usage environment, but it can be cleaned up to four times." The manual adds: "Intervals between filter replacement may vary depending on environment," and the Winix filters category page adds: "The life span of your Air Purifier filter depends largely on the air quality in the room it's operating in. The average amount of time that a filter is working at its best ability is 12 months... If your unit is located in a room with heavy smoke, the life span of your WINIX filter will be reduced." The manual also states: "When the Check Filter Indicator LED is on, it is time to replace the True HEPA Filter and Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter."

Winix’s page for this filter

Resetting the filter indicator

  1. Replace the True HEPA Filter and the Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter (install order: True HEPA at the back, Washable AOC Carbon in the middle, Pre-Filter at the front).
  2. Place the Pre-Filter back in and close the Front Panel.
  3. Leave the unit ON — the manual specifies "While the unit is on" and "After replacing the filter, turn on the unit."
  4. Using a thin object, such as a paper clip, press and hold the Filter Reset Button for at least 5 seconds. (The manual describes the control-panel item as: "15. Filter Reset Button — After replacing the filter, turn on the unit and then use a thin object, such as a paper clip, to press the Filter Reset Button for 5 seconds.")
  5. Hold until you hear the beep. Winix: "hold the Filter Reset Button for at least 5 seconds until you hear the beep. After the beep, the Filter Replacement Indicator will disappear. Your Winix True HEPA is now reset."

Steps as documented by Winix. If the light stays on after this, the troubleshooting below covers why.

Genuine vs third-party filters

Winix's documented position is about warranty coverage and about airflow and filtration capacity — not safety. From the Winix America FAQ, "What does the Winix Limited Warranty cover?": the Limited Warranty is honored when "Genuine Winix® Replacement Filters have been used in the unit and have been changed according to the longevity or filter reset light on the display panel." The same FAQ lists, under "The Limited Warranty will be voided if:" — "Non-Winix Brand filters are used in the unit." The 5500-2 user manual states the unit carries a "TWO YEARS WARRANTY," that "The warranty will be voided if product failure is a result of negligence or misuse by the consumer," and that "A proof of purchase must be presented upon claiming a Product Warranty." Winix's own Amazon Store listing for the genuine Filter H adds: "Winix original filter providing correct airflow" and "Use only original Winix branded filters for the correct filtration capacity." Winix publishes no claim that third-party filters are unsafe. It documents two consequences: loss of Limited Warranty coverage, and — on its own Amazon Store listing — a performance caveat, "Winix original filter providing correct airflow" and "Use only original Winix branded filters for the correct filtration capacity." Winix publishes no test data behind that caveat, and this page does not test filters.

That is Winix’s stated position, reported as theirs. We have not tested third-party filters and make no claim about how well they work.

When something goes wrong

Symptom Why it happens What to do
The Filter Replacement Indicator stays lit after the new Filter H is installed. The indicator does not clear on its own when a filter is swapped — Winix documents a separate manual reset step, and the button is not meant to be pressed with a fingertip: the manual specifies actuating it with "a thin object, such as a paper clip," held "for at least 5 seconds until you hear the beep," with the unit switched on and the front panel closed. Follow Winix's "Resetting Filter Life" procedure: put the Pre-Filter back, close the Front Panel, leave the unit ON, then use a paper clip to press and hold the Filter Reset Button at least 5 seconds until it beeps. After the beep the Filter Replacement Indicator goes out.
A brand-new filter set gives off a smell for the first day or two. Winix FAQ, "There is an odor coming from my air purifier": "Sometimes when the unit is new, the materials from the filter can 'outgas' when they are first opened." Winix FAQ: "Leave the unit running for a day or so and it should clear up. If you are concerned about this, leave the unit running on high in a separate room during this period. It should clear up overnight."
Weak airflow or no odor reduction immediately after a filter change. Winix's INITIAL OPERATION steps require taking the new filters out of the protective plastic bag before installing, and seating them in a specific order. The manual and FAQ both list: remove the front panel, remove the Pre-Filter, then the old filters; "Remove the protective plastic bag from the new filters"; install True HEPA (back), Carbon (middle), Pre-Filter (front). Skipping the bag removal, or reversing the layers, leaves the unit assembled but not filtering as documented. Open the front panel, remove the filters, strip the protective plastic bag, and reinstall in Winix's documented order — True HEPA Filter at the back, Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter in the middle, Pre-Filter at the front — until they "fit securely in place," then close the front panel. The manual's precautions also state "Do not operate without a filter" and "Ensure filters are inserted before running unit."
Odor comes back within weeks, or the HEPA layer was washed to extend its life. Only two of the three layers are washable, and Winix says so explicitly. The maintenance table marks the True HEPA Filter "Can NOT be WASHED," and the precautions repeat "Do not wash and reuse the True HEPA Filter." Separately, Winix's FAQ documents the other odor source: "Washable AOC™ Carbon filter can cause Odor if not properly washed and dried," and "Odor can occur when filter is contaminated." Replace the True HEPA layer rather than washing it — it is part of the Filter H set. Wash only the AOC carbon filter and the pre-filter, per the manual: rinse "under lightly running room temperature water," "Do not use detergent or soap," "Do not use hot water over 104°F," and "Allow the filter to dry for 24 hours or more before using." The current (Rev.05) manual sets two limits the older revision did not: "Use the Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter only when completely dry to avoid unpleasant odors," and "The cleaning cycle of the Washable AOC™ Carbon Filter may vary depending on the usage environment, but it can be cleaned up to four times." Winix also notes "Filter performance may decrease after each wash and depending on contamination level prior to washing." If odor persists, Winix's remedy is: "Please replace your carbon and HEPA filter and clean or wash your prefilter."
Check current price for the Winix 5500-2 replacement filter set on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Price, seller and package contents change. Check the variant on Amazon before you buy.

How we researched this

Checked against CARB's certified air-cleaner list and the manufacturer's own pages. We did not test this filter. Nothing here is a measurement of ours: every figure is either documented by the manufacturer or published by an independent standards or testing body, and where the two disagree this page says so.

Not verified for this model — 12 notes
  • THE EXECUTIVE ORDER DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES ARE NOT HELD HERE — only CARB's published register entry naming G-16-053 (5500-2) and G-20-177 (AM80). That entry is the certifier's own list and it is what this page cites. What follows for a buyer: the register proves the two units are certified and gives the EO number and notification date, and nothing more. It carries no test report, so nothing about how either unit performed in testing can be read off a number on a retail listing.
  • CARB CERTIFICATION COVERS THE PURIFIER, NEVER THIS FILTER. "116130" and "Filter H" return zero matches across the whole certified-device list, as expected: the regulation covers portable indoor air cleaning devices and CARB's table is keyed on Brand / Model Number. CARB's material does not address replacement filters in either direction — it neither exempts nor covers them. What follows for a buyer: a filter advertised as "CARB certified" is describing something that does not exist; the certification to check is the one on the air purifier's model number and on its packaging label.
  • HEPA EFFICIENCY FIGURE — THREE DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER FIGURES, all published by Winix, and no way to reconcile them. (1) winixamerica.com Filter H page: 99.99% down to 0.003 microns, footnoted to IUTA report UN2-201208-T5599900-334 under DIN 71460-1 / ISO/TS 11155-1, "Results may vary." (2) Winix Store Amazon listing bullet and description for the same ASIN: "99.97Percent efficient true HEPA, capturing particles to 0.3microns." (3) The same listing's product-details table: "Particle Retention Size — 0.01 micron." What follows for a buyer: only figure (1) carries a test reference, and it means what its footnote says and no more; no flat unattributed efficiency number is reliable for this set, and the 99.99% must never be read together with the 0.3 micron from the retail listing. There is no public HEPA certification a consumer brand can obtain, so "True HEPA" here is Winix's product name and self-declaration, not a graded standard.
  • VERIFIED ROOM SIZE — THE TWO MANUAL REVISIONS DISAGREE AND NEITHER IS USABLE AS A COVERAGE FIGURE. The current manual (Rev.05, doc 2610-0314-00, 2025 PDF) states "Verified Room Size 370 sq.ft."; the superseded 2022 revision states 360 sq.ft. What follows for a buyer: neither revision publishes an air-change-rate basis, and a coverage figure with no air changes per hour behind it says nothing about whether the unit suits a given room. No coverage figure is stated on this page; 370 is the current manufacturer value if one is needed elsewhere.
  • NO CADR NUMBERS ARE RECORDED. The AHAM VERIFIDE directory (ahamverifide.org/directory/) is a JavaScript widget that returns no record in fetched HTML, so the 5500-2 entry could not be read. What follows for a buyer: there is no independently published clean-air delivery rate here to sanity-check the manufacturer's room-size figure against.
  • GTIN 08809154399327 IS NOT AN OEM PART NUMBER. The value is correct for ASIN B01JLT1OR8 ("Global Trade Identification Number: 08809154399327" on the detail table), but a GTIN is a retail barcode assigned to the packaged trade item and the 14-digit string appears nowhere on winixamerica.com. What follows for a buyer: searching that number on Winix's own site returns nothing — search 116130, or "Filter H", which are Winix's own designations for this set.
  • THE USAGE ASSUMPTION BEHIND THE 12-MONTH INTERVAL IS NOT PUBLISHED. Winix gives no hours-per-day figure on the Filter H product page, in either 5500-2 manual revision, in the FAQ or on the filters category page. What it gives is a qualitative caveat ("Intervals between filter replacement may vary depending on environment") plus the filter-replacement indicator as the actual trigger. What follows for a buyer: 12 months is not a duty-cycle-based number and cannot be scaled to heavier or lighter use. The "replace every 6-8 months" figure repeated across third-party listings originates with aftermarket sellers, not with Winix, and is not recorded here.
  • THERE ARE NO VARIANTS OF FILTER H. Winix catalogues +AllergenGuard, +PetGuard and +SmokeGuard versions of Filter A and Filter S only; the filters category listing and a site search for "filter h" on winixamerica.com return 116130 and nothing else. What follows for a buyer: a listing offering a "Filter H PetGuard" or similar is not selling a Winix catalogue item.
  • FILTER PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS ARE NOT DOCUMENTED BY WINIX. The winixamerica.com product page publishes none. The Winix Store Amazon listing shows packaged dimensions ("17 x 12.5 x 1.5 inches; 2.16 pounds"), which is packaging data and not a filter spec, so no dimension figure is recorded. What follows for a buyer: fit cannot be confirmed by measuring against a published spec — confirm it by the unit's model number against the compatibility lists above.
  • THE WINIX 5500-2 UNIT PAGE IS GONE: https://www.winixamerica.com/product/5500-2/ now redirects to the air purifier category listing and the 5500-2 is not in Winix's current line-up. What follows for a buyer: every unit-side fact here (reset procedure, maintenance intervals, SKU, warranty term, ozone statement) comes from the two user manual PDFs still hosted on winixamerica.com, with Rev.05 preferred, and there is no live manufacturer product page left to re-check them against.
  • THE MANUAL DOES NOT DOCUMENT CARB STATUS. The strings "CARB" and "California" do not occur anywhere in the Rev.05 manual; its ozone sentence ("This product complies with the maximum allowable concentration of ozone of 0.050 parts per million by volume (ppmv) in a 24-h period") is Winix's own compliance declaration, from a different source than the certification. What follows for a buyer: that printed sentence is not proof of CARB certification. The proof is the unit's row in CARB's list and the "Meets California ozone emissions limits. CARB certified." label required on the packaging.
  • CHECKING CARB YOURSELF, FOR ANOTHER WINIX MODEL. This page settles the 5500-2 and the AM80, but the list is easy to read wrong. (1) You are checking the PURIFIER, not the filter: replacement cartridges are never certified or listed. (2) Take the model number from the UNIT SPECIFICATIONS table of your manual. (3) Open ww2.arb.ca.gov/list-carb-certified-air-cleaning-devices and search that exact string in the Model Number column — search the WHOLE table, about 13,000 rows, because a partial read drops models silently. (4) Watch the Model Name column: the 5500-2's row reads “5300-2” there, so searching by name alone misses it.

Sources consulted